What the treating team needs to know about your existing conditions
Hand tendon repair treats damaged tendons, and follow-up therapy may form part of the individual care plan. Whether that plan is suitable for you depends on factors the surgeon and hand therapy team must assess together. Existing health conditions are part of that assessment, not a separate administrative detail.
Conditions that can affect surgical planning include diabetes, vascular disease, autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, bleeding or clotting disorders, and any condition affecting wound healing or immune function. Previous surgery or injury to the same hand, arm or wrist also matters because scar tissue, altered anatomy and prior repairs can change what is technically possible.
Medicines are equally important. Blood thinners, immunosuppressants, steroids, some pain medicines and certain herbal products can influence bleeding risk, infection risk or healing. Do not stop or change any medicine on your own. Instead, list every medicine with its dose and schedule, and ask the treating team which ones need review before any procedure.
The practical point is not to self-assess whether you are 'fit enough'. It is to give the clinical team enough accurate information that they can decide what additional tests, specialist opinions or precautions are needed for your case.
Why the affected function matters more than the diagnosis label
A tendon diagnosis alone does not describe what you cannot do. The treating team needs to understand which movements are limited, whether the loss is recent or longstanding, and how much the hand is used in work or daily life. Two patients with a similar tendon injury can have very different functional goals.
Describe function in plain terms. Can you bend or straighten the finger? Can you grip a cup, hold a pen, button clothing or carry a bag? Is there pain, swelling, numbness or a catching sensation? Has the hand changed since the original injury? These details help the clinician match the examination findings to your actual priorities.
Bring any previous imaging, operation notes, therapy records or splint prescriptions. If you have had hand therapy before, a short summary of what was tried and how the hand responded is useful. It shows the treating team what has already been explored and where the remaining problems are.
Functional goals also shape the conversation about sequencing. If your main goal is returning to a specific task, say so. The surgeon and therapist can then explain what the realistic sequence of surgery, therapy and follow-up might look like, and what remains uncertain until they examine you.
How to organise records before you send them
You do not need to send a complete medical archive at first contact. A short summary is enough to start. It should include your main hand problem, when it began, what treatment you have already had, your existing diagnoses, your current medicines and your main question.
When the clinical team asks for more, organise records by type rather than by date alone. A simple structure works well: diagnosis and history, imaging reports, operation notes, therapy notes, medicine list and current functional concerns. Label each document clearly and note the date and the hospital or clinic that produced it.
If records are in another language, ask whether a translated summary is needed and who should prepare it. Do not assume that a translation is accepted without confirmation. Ask the receiving hospital what format, language and level of detail it requires for its own review.
Keep a one-page cover note with your name, date of birth, main diagnosis, main question and a list of enclosed documents. This helps the clinical team find what matters quickly and reduces the chance that an important record is overlooked.
Questions that clarify how surgery, therapy and follow-up fit together
The sequence of care is a clinical decision, not a scheduling preference. Ask the treating team how they would plan surgery, hand therapy and follow-up for your specific case, and what would need to be confirmed first. The answers will depend on your examination, your existing conditions and the records you provide.
Useful questions include: Does my existing condition change the type of anaesthesia or the timing of surgery? Are there additional tests or specialist opinions you need before deciding? How soon after surgery would hand therapy start, and who would provide it? What follow-up would be needed, and could any of it be done locally? What warning signs should prompt urgent contact?
Ask these questions in writing where possible, so you have a clear record of the answers. If a question cannot be answered before an in-person examination, ask what information would help the team give a more specific answer.
Do not treat a preliminary reply as final clearance. A records-based opinion can clarify options and identify missing information, but it does not replace the examination and imaging that the treating hospital may require before confirming suitability.
What cannot be confirmed from records alone
Records can show a diagnosis, a previous operation and a medicine list. They cannot show how the tendon glides, how strong the repair is, how the scar behaves or how the hand will respond to therapy. Those are assessed in person and over time.
This is why a remote review cannot promise a specific outcome, a fixed recovery period or a guaranteed return of movement. It can help you understand whether an assessment in China is worth pursuing, what records are missing and what questions to ask. The hospital decides suitability after its own evaluation.
If your injury is recent, worsening or associated with severe pain, numbness, infection or loss of blood supply, seek local urgent care rather than delaying for an overseas enquiry. Hand injuries can deteriorate, and timely local assessment takes priority.
If your condition is stable and you are planning elective assessment, the goal is to arrive with a clear, organised file and realistic expectations about what can and cannot be decided before you travel.
A practical next step for your enquiry
Start with a brief summary: your main hand problem, when it began, your existing conditions, your current medicines and your main question. You can send this through the enquiry form, email or WhatsApp. An initial enquiry is free and does not require buying a proxy consultation.
The team can then identify missing information and suggest the relevant next step, which may be a records-based opinion or an appointment request. Hospital consultation fees, tests and treatment are separate from any coordination fee, and the treating hospital confirms its own scope in writing.
If you would like to understand the broader service context, you can review the hand and microsurgery reference page before sending your summary.
Sources & scope of this guide
References and official service information relevant to this guide.
This is general planning information and has not been individually reviewed by a doctor. Medical decisions and personal treatment advice come from your treating clinicians.